When most think of American Football, then imagine raw, unbridled demonstrations of athletic might pushed to the max, but rarely do those images involve women. The Quake is a professional women's tackle football team out to break the glass ceiling of this traditionally all-male sport. These women embody the same dogged determination as their male counterparts, but without the money or fame. And beyond that, they must deal with a societal prejudice that keeps them on the periphery of professional sports, having to pay their own way even as other female athletes--such as those in the Lingerie League--draw a salary.

LADIES OF THE GRIDIRON is the bittersweet tale of the Quake's rocky eighth season. It illustrates the power of the passionate, highly focused energy flowing through the bodies of the "gentle sex". This documentary is a great resource for examining the sociology of gender roles, the female athlete and what it means to be “feminine.”

Reviews

"Ladies of the Gridiron shows what happens when women dare to don football helmets and pads, complete with all of the hard work, determination and pain: they are met with a deafening silence from the media and indifference from most fans--unless of course they sex it up in lingerie. Women's football today is microcosm of society's continual struggle over women's "place," and Ladies of the Gridiron is a riveting glimpse into that world."
- Professor Michael A. Messner, Author of "Through the Prism of Difference"